Sweet Rack or Nice Box!

[hammer]

I put my Thule box on my Subaru at the beginning of the season and just leave it on until the season's over. I'm sure I take a small hit on the gas mileage but it's not worth the trouble to remove it all the time.

 

[wintersyndrome]

Used to have a a barrecrafters rack from the eighies, day-glo pink, green and yellow..though wiser heads and troubled eyes prevailed and I painted it flat black.
However, I Just bought a new Subaru so now I need to consider my options, do slip my gear in between the cleavage of a rack, exposing my gear to the elements or do I go for a nice black box with a smooth exterior and maybe some soft velvet inside to keep my gear from getting banged around too much? or just stuff all of my junk in the trunk, Though I have noticed that this method is very uncomfortable for a first timer and makes the ride tighter and a little more cramped for those involved... Suggestions, fellas?

can you think of any more innuendos?

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Used to have a a barrecrafters rack from the eighies, day-glo pink, green and yellow..though wiser heads and troubled eyes prevailed and I painted it flat black.
However, I Just bought a new Subaru so now I need to consider my options, do slip my gear in between the cleavage of a rack, exposing my gear to the elements or do I go for a nice black box with a smooth exterior and maybe some soft velvet inside to keep my gear from getting banged around too much? or just stuff all of my junk in the trunk, Though I have noticed that this method is very uncomfortable for a first timer and makes the ride tighter and a little more cramped for those involved... Suggestions, fellas?

can you think of any more innuendos?

More aerodynamic if the sleek, black box is smooth. If it's not in the box or the trunk is in on the 'taint?

Use some of the 30 weight in the trunk...

 

[Greg]

do slip my gear in between the cleavage of a rack, exposing my gear to the elements

Get a cheap ski bag...

 

[wa-loaf]

However, I Just bought a new Subaru so now I need to consider my options, do slip my gear in between the cleavage of a rack, exposing my gear to the elements or do I go for a nice black box with a smooth exterior and maybe some soft velvet inside to keep my gear from getting banged around too much? or just stuff all of my junk in the trunk, Though I have noticed that this method is very uncomfortable for a first timer and makes the ride tighter and a little more cramped for those involved... Suggestions, fellas?

We've got an 05 outback, pretty much the same for this year. We have a Yakima box. I had to go with the 16cuft on, cause anything bigger and we wouldn't be able to open the trunk. My 178 Elans are tight squeeze in the box. So if you've got anything bigger and don't need all the back seats, just go with the rear entry or hit the rack.

We've got two kids and a dog, so the box stays on pretty much year round.

 

[vcunning]

Newbie here . . .

I've gone the Thule box route and also use it all year round (I'm still not sure how my kids need more stuff than me). Here is a picture, but I did make one modification . . . my Thule got a slight crack along the way, so I had an autobody guy repair it, take off all the Thule badges and repaint it with Brilliant Black Metallic paint (the same as the car).

 

[Greg]

Nice! Welcome vcunning.

 

[wa-loaf]

Newbie here . . .

I've gone the Thule box route and also use it all year round (I'm still not sure how my kids need more stuff than me). Here is a picture, but I did make one modification . . . my Thule got a slight crack along the way, so I had an autobody guy repair it, take off all the Thule badges and repaint it with Brilliant Black Metallic paint (the same as the car).

That's gotta be a pretty expensive Thule box. You should start a "pimp my box" thread. :lol:

 

[dmc]

My Subi

 

[wintersyndrome]

My Subi

Basically the same for me got the '07 forester, thinking box is the way to go, because you can stuff more than just skis and boards up there.

cant wait for it to snow just to feel the beauty of AWD. Coming from a RWD volvo, winter should be a treat.

 

[vcunning]

That's gotta be a pretty expensive Thule box. You should start a "pimp my box" thread. :lol:

Hee Hee. Gotta real nice deal from a local guy. $200 to fix the crack in the Thule and paint it. I couldn't pass it up.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

What are peoples' experience with the mileage impact from a standard Thule box? I've got a kid on the way and the box is going to be a year-round necessity with a BMW sedan.

 

[wa-loaf]

What are peoples' experience with the mileage impact from a standard Thule box? I've got a kid on the way and the box is going to be a year-round necessity with a BMW sedan.

I'm sure there's some impact, but it hasn't been enough for me to realy notice.

 

[kbroderick]

I've got an older Thule box, but it hasn't actually been on a vehicle since well before I sold my Golf (just over a year ago). In my Bronco II, skis go in the back (seat folded down); if I got another vehicle that was any shorter, I'd probably be looking to use the box in the winter time.

 

[Beez]

in the back of my expedition. I'm not anal about my vehicles. Mine is the road trip car, so it always has stuff in it. Snowboards, skis, camping equip, kayak stuff, whatever. My vacation house is 10 min from my home mountain. I am much too lazy to load stuff onto a rack or box.

 

[Greg]

Before I recently reworked the gear directory, I wasn't aware there was an online store that specializes in racks, boxes and accessories. Anyway, check out RackAttack.com. Here is their directory:

http://gear.alpinezone.com/ra/shop

 

[wa-loaf]

Bump, I was in my user cp and clicked on the threads I've started and this one cracked me up. Still have the yakima box, with a few new stickers.

 

[o3jeff]

Fold half the seat down and pass them thru.

 

[gmcunni]

3 different vehicles.

1 - acadia - fold down seats in back is primary option. rack on top if i have too many people in the car
2 - jeep - if i'm solo i lay the front seat back and skis ride shotgun. recently got a spare tire mounted rack for when i have company
3. toyota camry - fold down rear seat

 

[Edd]

I throw everything inside the Forester. If I had a regular need for 4 people in the car I'd get a box. I'm not fussy about the look of my gear but I can't see using a rack and exposing the boards to salt and sands at high speeds.